The role of surgery in the management and prognosis of limited-stage II small cell lung cancer

Objective The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the role of surgery in the management of limited-stage-Ⅱ small cell lung cancer.Methods A retrospective review of 82 patients with limited-stage Ⅱ small cell lung cancer between January 2001 and December 2009 was performed.The prognostic impact of different therapy and the clinicopathologic factors were analyzed.Using SPSS 16.0 statistical software for data analysis.Log-rank test for the difference of survivale rate.Using the Cox model for muliti-factor survival analysis.Chi-square test for local recurrence and distant metastasis rate.Results The overall median survival time and the 1-,3-,and 5-year overall survival rates were 27.0 months,62.1％,35.9％,and 21.0％,respectively.Median survival was 34.0 months in surgical patients vs 16.0 months in nonsurgical patients (P =0.000).Median survival after lobectomy or pneumonectomy was significantly longer than after wedge resection (P =0.048).However,survival after wedge resection was still significantly longer than survival in nonsurgical patients(P =0.024).Survival analysis confirmed that the operation,chemotherapy and radiotherapy were showed to be independent prognostic factors.The local-regional recurrencer rates of lobectomy or pneumonectomy group was lower than wedge resection group(P =0.030).The distant metastasis rates of lobectomy or pneumonectomy group was lower than nonsurgical grou (P =0.021).Conclusion This study suggests that lobectomy or pneumonectomy combined with adjuvant radio-chemotherapy should be recommended for patients with limited-stage Ⅱ small cell lung cancer. Key words: Carcinoma, small-cell lung ;  Pneumonectomy ;  Chemotherapy ;  Radiotherapy ;  Prognosis